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X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Minnesota Independent Scholars Forum
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260124T103000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260124T120000
DTSTAMP:20260417T061524
CREATED:20251125T195418Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260124T231952Z
UID:3516-1769250600-1769256000@mnindependentscholars.org
SUMMARY:The Origin Story of Fort Road/West Seventh Street
DESCRIPTION:In 2024\, out of a series of neighborhood (garden tour) histories along West Seventh Street\, Joe Landsberger combined them into a narrative origin of Saint Paul and Minnesota. He came to realize historians ignored these first neighborhoods and commercial strip in the history of our state. It grew to 420 pages illustrated with 1069 vintage and commissioned images documented with 246 endnotes. The first edition sold out quickly in January/February 2025. After buyers reported more stories\, a second was enhanced/published August 2025. The self-published history\, locally sourced and locally promoted\, committed all proceeds to nonprofits. The presentation\, process and product\, accentuates contributions of immigrants and volunteers. \n \nJoe Landsberger is a lifelong resident of Saint Paul: 30 years on its West Side\, 50 on West Seventh with a break of three in West Africa. His educational journey included thirty years developing the central computer lab/learning center at a university (1976 – 2006). He researched\, authored and developed an educational website of study guides and strategies (1995-2012) that was translated into 38 languages with 54\,767\,483 visitors accessing 118\,365\,575 webpages.  As a community volunteer\, he founded West End Arts and developed a public art park\, served as president of Czech and Slovak Sokol Minnesota\, the West Seventh Business Association\, and is a member of Citizen Advocates for Regional Transit (CART). His editorial skills were polished in his community newspaper.
URL:https://mnindependentscholars.org/event/the-origin-story-of-fort-road-west-seventh-street/
LOCATION:Shoreview Library\, 4560 Victoria St N\, Shoreview\, MN\, 55126
CATEGORIES:History,Program
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mnindependentscholars.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Origin-Story-cover.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260114T190000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260114T210000
DTSTAMP:20260417T061524
CREATED:20251218T033534Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251218T033534Z
UID:3542-1768417200-1768424400@mnindependentscholars.org
SUMMARY:Philosophy Study Group
DESCRIPTION: We will be studying the book\, The Boxer and the Goalkeeper: Sartre Vs Camus (2012)\, by Andy Martin. A new copy of this book can be had for around $20\, but there seems to be plenty of used copies. It appears that there is no e-book available in this country.\nThe book is about the friendship and eventual falling out of Jean-Paul Sartre and Albert Camus. It’s aimed at the general reader who has some familiarity with philosophy\, or at least existentialism\, and is not a difficult read. It even has pictures. For the 14th\, we’ll read the first 10 chapters. That’s READ the first 10 chapters\, not just look at the pictures. The book is not that easy.\nCurt
URL:https://mnindependentscholars.org/event/philosophy-study-group-89/
LOCATION:via Zoom
CATEGORIES:Philosophy
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://mnindependentscholars.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/The-Boxer-and-the-Goalkeeper.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20251210T190000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20251210T210000
DTSTAMP:20260417T061524
CREATED:20251206T044405Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251206T045033Z
UID:3527-1765393200-1765400400@mnindependentscholars.org
SUMMARY:Philosophy Study Group
DESCRIPTION:For this meeting we are going to discuss three different existentialist works of fiction\, two by Jean Paul Sartre and one by Earnest Hemingway. The former includes the short story “The Wall” and the play “No Exit”. The Hemingway work is another short story\, “A Clean\, Well-Lighted Place.”\n\n\nAll these are available online. Commentaries on each of them are also available. Read the three and see what they say to you regarding your existence. I mean\, beyond just the fact that you’re still alive.\n\nCurt\n \nHere are three sites they can be found.\n\nThe Wall\nhttps://www.scribd.com/document/662934896/OceanofPDF-com-the-Wall-Jean-Paul-Sartre\n\nNo Exit\nhttps://ia600303.us.archive.org/13/items/NoExit/NoExit.pdf\n\nA Clean\, Well-Lighted Place\nHemingway pages
URL:https://mnindependentscholars.org/event/philosophy-study-group-88/
LOCATION:via Zoom
CATEGORIES:Philosophy
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mnindependentscholars.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Existentiaism.jpg-2.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20251115T103000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20251115T120000
DTSTAMP:20260417T061524
CREATED:20251015T232853Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251117T013856Z
UID:3498-1763202600-1763208000@mnindependentscholars.org
SUMMARY:Mystery in the Midwest
DESCRIPTION:Is the modern American mystery novel the most important literature being written today? Why do private eyes and\nfictional detectives continue to fascinate us? Do we want all our problems neatly solved or see proof that crime\nreally doesn’t pay? Or do we just want to have fun? Maybe we should ask the expert or have a chance to see how\neven Minnesota can be a place where dark alley ways\, seedy dives\, and the homes of the rich and famous can be a\ngateway to a sinister world. Do we want to find out? Of course\, we do.\n\n \n\n\n\n\nA past President of the Private Eye Writers of America\, David Housewright won a prestigious Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America and three Minnesota Book Awards for his Rushmore McKenzie and Holland Taylor private eye novels as well as other tales of murder and mayhem in the Midwest. He has published 31 novels including Them Bones (St. Martin’s Minotaur) and Girl In A Dumpster (Down and Out Books).  He earned an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America\, a Shamus nomination from the PWA\, and three Minnesota Books Awards. A reformed newspaper reporter and ad man\, he also taught at the University of Minnesota and Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis. He was recently added to “Minnesota Writers on the Map” by the Minnesota Historical Society and Friends of the St. Paul Public Library. www.davidhousewright.com”
URL:https://mnindependentscholars.org/event/mystery-in-the-midwest/
LOCATION:Shoreview Library\, 4560 Victoria St N\, Shoreview\, MN\, 55126
CATEGORIES:Monthly Forum
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://mnindependentscholars.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Them-Bones.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20251112T190000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20251112T210000
DTSTAMP:20260417T061524
CREATED:20251107T150858Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251107T151118Z
UID:3509-1762974000-1762981200@mnindependentscholars.org
SUMMARY:Philosophy Study Group
DESCRIPTION:The MISF Philosophy Study Group is going to have their next meeting on Wednesday\, November 12\, at 7:00 pm via Zoom. We will conclude our discussion of the book\, Caste: The Origins of our Discontents\, by Isabel Wilkerson. In the last parts of her book\, Wilkerson discusses the more subtle\, unconscious ways caste can impact society; the resilience of caste; and what can be done to counter this.\n \nAt this point I planned on including a really clever comment designed to make everyone smile. However\, considering the gravity of the topic and our current political climate\, saying something amusing didn’t seem appropriate. Even if you don’t attend our meeting\, I hope you can still read this excellent book as well as other writings concerning our current situation. I regard today’s circumstances as an existential threat to our democracy\, fueled by scapegoating and racism. But the MISF Philosophy Study Group is doing their part by eliminating all of our hereditary positions. (Sorry\, couldn’t help it.)\n\nCurt
URL:https://mnindependentscholars.org/event/philosophy-study-group-87/
LOCATION:via Zoom
CATEGORIES:Philosophy
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://mnindependentscholars.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Caste-The-Origins-of-our-Discontents.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20251025T103000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20251025T120000
DTSTAMP:20260417T061524
CREATED:20250914T041842Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251028T002856Z
UID:3477-1761388200-1761393600@mnindependentscholars.org
SUMMARY:Christian Nationalism: A Dangerous Manifestation of a Deeper Problem
DESCRIPTION:Christian Nationalism is a political ideology and movement that understands the United States as founded as a White Protestant Evangelical Christian Nation. They believe secular liberal democracy has failed God’s America by taking their version of Christianity out of government and the public schools\, tolerated ethnic\, religious\, and sexual diversity\, and enabled the decline of Christianity in America.\n\nThe result is decadence\, decline\, and division in their understanding of God’s America. White Evangelical Christian Nationalists are called by God to restore righteousness in America. That means that the United States should be declared a Christian Nation according to their understanding of Christian. White Evangelical Protestant Christians and their churches should be restored to their rightful privileged position\, and the rule of law in America and in public education should be guided by conservative evangelical Christian beliefs and values. How did this movement come about and is it the future of America? Should we fear it or see it as an expression of the beliefs of one of many groups in this country? Do we see positive value in at least part of its message? Why is Christian Nationalism such a force in politics and thought? \nGrant Abbott\, former executive director of the Saint Paul Area Council of Churches\, is an Episcopal priest. He’s the convener of the “Real American History Book Group: Learning the Whole Story.” He lives in St. Paul
URL:https://mnindependentscholars.org/event/christian-nationalism-a-dangerous-manifestation-of-a-deeper-problem/
LOCATION:Maplewood Library\, 3025 Southlawn Dr\, Maplewood\, MN\, 55109
CATEGORIES:Monthly Forum
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mnindependentscholars.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Christian-Nationalism.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20251008T190000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20251008T210000
DTSTAMP:20260417T061524
CREATED:20251001T143537Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251001T143643Z
UID:3491-1759950000-1759957200@mnindependentscholars.org
SUMMARY:Philosophy Study Group
DESCRIPTION:We will continue discussing the book\, Caste: The Origins of our Discontents\, by Isabel Wilkerson\, by reading Sections 3 and 4. In these sections Wilkerson gets into the heart of how caste operates\, and it’s not very pretty. We hope that you can join us. All of our regulars should be there\, but some of us are not very pretty either. \n  \n 
URL:https://mnindependentscholars.org/event/philosophy-study-group-86/
LOCATION:via Zoom
CATEGORIES:Philosophy
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://mnindependentscholars.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Caste-The-Origins-of-our-Discontents.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20250927T103000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20250927T120000
DTSTAMP:20260417T061524
CREATED:20250618T155318Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251001T144009Z
UID:3432-1758969000-1758974400@mnindependentscholars.org
SUMMARY:Electricity\, Magnetism and Birds
DESCRIPTION:When we consider how physics applies to birds\, we are inclined to think about topics such as the aerodynamics of flight\, the mechanics of feathers and bills\, the optics enabling eagle vision\, the pigments and structural features that produce vibrant colors\, the thermodynamic demands of living under temperature extremes\, or the acoustics of birdsong. We tend not to associate the seemingly more esoteric fields of electricity and magnetism with our avian neighbors\, but there are fascinating ways in which they are relevant. This presentation will review several examples\, with a focus on the mechanism by which birds are thought to perceive the earth’s magnetic field as an aid for navigation.\n\n\n \n\nMichael Hurben earned his PhD in physics from Colorado State University in 1996\, where his research focused on magnetic resonance in ferrite materials. He has worked in academic and industrial settings\, including over two decades in the magnetic recording industry. He is an avid naturalist and birder\, and has accumulated a life list exceeding 5\,000 bird species despite being legally blind. He is the author of The Physics of Birds and Birding(Pelagic\, 2025).
URL:https://mnindependentscholars.org/event/electricity-magnetism-and-birds/
LOCATION:Shoreview Library\, 4560 Victoria St N\, Shoreview\, MN\, 55126
CATEGORIES:Monthly Forum
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mnindependentscholars.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/The-Physics-of-Birds-and-Birding.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20250910T190000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20250910T210000
DTSTAMP:20260417T061524
CREATED:20250812T030842Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250812T033209Z
UID:3461-1757530800-1757538000@mnindependentscholars.org
SUMMARY:Philosophy Study Group
DESCRIPTION:We will begin discussing a new book\, Caste: The Origins of our Discontents (2020)\, by Isabel Wilkerson. The book focuses on race in the U.S. (Wilkerson is black)\, but examines the topic broadly and includes comparisons with the caste system of India and the discriminations carried out by Nazi Germany. For the 10th we’ll read Parts I and II.\n\n \n\nThe book is readily available and lists for about $21 in paperback and $9 as an eBook\, but can be found for much less. It has won several awards\, including the Time magazine nonfiction book of the year. It was also nominated for several more\, including the National Book Award\, the Kirkus Prize\, and two different PEN America Awards. And to top it off\, we’ll be discussing it in the award-winning MISF Philosophy Study Group\, having captured the Best Philosophical Discussion Group in Minnesota for 2024. Or\, at least\, we would have if there was such a thing.
URL:https://mnindependentscholars.org/event/philosophy-study-group-85/
LOCATION:via Zoom
CATEGORIES:Philosophy
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://mnindependentscholars.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Caste-The-Origins-of-our-Discontents.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20250816T113000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20250816T133000
DTSTAMP:20260417T061524
CREATED:20250618T165743Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250618T171111Z
UID:3436-1755343800-1755351000@mnindependentscholars.org
SUMMARY:Annual Picnic
DESCRIPTION:This is our annual summer picnic. MISF will provide the drinks\, plasticware\, and grills\, and St. Paul Parks & Rec the electricity and more grills. You provide a dish to share and your best topics for good conversations. \n 
URL:https://mnindependentscholars.org/event/annual-picnic-5/
LOCATION:Cherokee Park Picnic Shelter\, Chippewa and Winona Streets\, St. Paul\, MN
CATEGORIES:Social
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mnindependentscholars.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Picnic-7-with-border.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20250806T190000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20250806T210000
DTSTAMP:20260417T061524
CREATED:20250720T033820Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250720T035204Z
UID:3450-1754506800-1754514000@mnindependentscholars.org
SUMMARY:Philosophy Study Group
DESCRIPTION:We will finish our discussion of the book\, How Nature Works: The Science of Self-organized Criticality\, by Per Bak. For those who will have read the book and will attend the meeting\, you can\, of course\, expect to understand how nature works. However\, this creates a problem. After so many of us comprehend this\, there really is no longer any reason to keep this group going. However\, we do feel some obligation to explain these findings to those who come to subsequent meetings and who are not as enlightened as we will be – sort of an intellectual noblesse oblige. So\, we’ll keep at it for a while\, anyway. 😊 \n 
URL:https://mnindependentscholars.org/event/philosophy-study-group-84/
LOCATION:via Zoom
CATEGORIES:Philosophy
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://mnindependentscholars.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/How-Nature-Works.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20250709T190000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20250709T210000
DTSTAMP:20260417T061524
CREATED:20250617T030336Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250617T030336Z
UID:3412-1752087600-1752094800@mnindependentscholars.org
SUMMARY:Philosophy Study Group
DESCRIPTION:We will continue our discussion of Per Bak’s book\, How Nature Works: The Science of Self-organized Criticality\, by reading chapters 4-7. One of the remarkable aspects of self-organized criticality (SOC) is that it can arise from very simple rules but lead to highly complex\, unpredictable systems. Since this book is an introductory overview of SOC\, it follows the same pattern. It explains things with basic\, simple ideas\, but the consequences can be mind-boggling complex. So\, if you think you’d like to join us but are worried about not being able to catch up because you’d have to read lots of abstruse\, technical concepts\, in actuality this book is something that even a member of the MISF Philosophy Study Group can understand. Well\, okay\, maybe the simple ideas part. But the rest is what’s really fun.
URL:https://mnindependentscholars.org/event/philosophy-study-group-83/
LOCATION:via Zoom
CATEGORIES:Philosophy
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://mnindependentscholars.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/How-Nature-Works.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20250628T110000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20250628T120000
DTSTAMP:20260417T061524
CREATED:20250309T185756Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250618T152058Z
UID:3250-1751108400-1751112000@mnindependentscholars.org
SUMMARY:When Minnehaha Flowed With Whiskey: A Spirited History Of The Falls
DESCRIPTION:Drunks\, criminals\, and rowdies went to Minnehaha Falls to raise a ruckus\, dance\, and have fun.  From the 1860s until the early 20th century\, Minnehaha Falls was not a family-oriented destination.  Rather\, it was a scene of scandal and disreputable behavior.  By 1891\, things had gotten so bad that “Father of the Parks” Charles Loring said\, “Minnehaha had become the rendezvous of the most depraved of both sexes.”  Find out what the heck was going on at the falls\, and how all was eventually redeemed.\n\nKaren E. Cooper is an author\, historian\, and researcher who uncovered the lost disgraceful past at Minnehaha Falls in Minneapolis.  Her work reveals the power structures in the city that allowed Minnehaha to become a criminal haven\, and battle with those who wanted Minnehaha to be a place where families felt safe and welcome.  Her first book\, When Minnehaha Flowed With Whiskey: A Spirited History Of The Falls won the Emile Buchwald Award for Minnesota Non-Fiction in 2023.\n \n Cooper became a historian because she has a good eye for detail and a lot of curiosity. Her background is in Spanish and Economics\, but the hints of improper behavior at Minnehaha Falls were such a captivating story that she undertook to discover what had happened and what had been forgotten.  Too\, she has written dozens of newspaper columns on restaurants and local history and she collects old Minnesota photographs.  Karen E. Cooper is very nearly a native Minnesotan.
URL:https://mnindependentscholars.org/event/when-minnehaha-flowed-with-whiskey-a-spirited-history-of-the-falls/
LOCATION:Shoreview Library\, 4560 Victoria St N\, Shoreview\, MN\, 55126
CATEGORIES:Monthly Forum
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mnindependentscholars.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/When-Minnehaha-Flowed-Whisky.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20250628T103000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20250628T110000
DTSTAMP:20260417T061524
CREATED:20250615T171134Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250616T011912Z
UID:3404-1751106600-1751108400@mnindependentscholars.org
SUMMARY:Annual Meeting
DESCRIPTION:The Annual Meeting of the MISF membership will precede the Rhoda Lewin Lecture and last about a half-hour. \nBusiness to be conducted this year includes committee reports and Board member elections. We have two open board positions. Board terms run for three years. Board meetings are currently held by Zoom. We are looking for treasurer assistance in particular. If you are interested in joining us or have questions contact Emily Pollack at president@mnindependentscholars.org
URL:https://mnindependentscholars.org/event/annual-meeting/
LOCATION:Shoreview Library\, 4560 Victoria St N\, Shoreview\, MN\, 55126
CATEGORIES:Board Meeting
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mnindependentscholars.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Annual-Meeting-Notice.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20250611T190000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20250611T210000
DTSTAMP:20260417T061524
CREATED:20250522T040629Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250522T040918Z
UID:3390-1749668400-1749675600@mnindependentscholars.org
SUMMARY:Philosophy Study Group
DESCRIPTION:We will be embarking on a new book: How Nature Works: The Science of Self-organized Criticality (1996) by Per Bak. Unfortunately\, this is one of the pricier books that we have selected for our group. All forms of the book – hardcover\, paperback\, and eBook – list for $60. Fortunately\, however\, they can be found for less. As of the time of this writing\, Amazon is offering a new hardcover for $33 and a new paperback for $38; Google Play is offering an eBook for $47 to own and $18 to rent for 90 days. There are also used books available and\, of course\, there is the library. For the 11th we’ll read the first three chapters.\n \nThis book lays out a new way of looking at nature. It’s an examination of how to approach complexity\, from black holes to evolution\, and what that means for what might happen in the future. While the laws of nature are simple\, nature itself is enormously complex. While Newton’s equations can be expressed as just a few variables with basic arithmetic relations\, calculating what’s going on in nature can require some of the most abstract\, complicated mathematics. Please note that there will be a test at the end. Just kidding. But brush up on your calculus just in case.\nCurt
URL:https://mnindependentscholars.org/event/philosophy-study-group-82/
LOCATION:via Zoom
CATEGORIES:Philosophy
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://mnindependentscholars.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/How-Nature-Works.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20250517T103000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20250517T120000
DTSTAMP:20260417T061524
CREATED:20250325T033929Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250517T224029Z
UID:3296-1747477800-1747483200@mnindependentscholars.org
SUMMARY:Religion As A Resource for Peace And A Justification For Violence.
DESCRIPTION:Peace is a shared aspiration and value in all of our religious traditions. Peace\, however\, remains an ever-receding goal in our world. Speaking of peace as a shared value is important\, but it does not bring about peace. Our traditions offer us transformative peace-making teachings\, but these traditions are located in historical and socio-political contexts. They become intertwined and associated\, often willingly\, with forces and movements that promote violence by privileging one group and marginalizing others. \n \nThe rise of religious nationalism in many parts of our world is only one example of an alliance between religion and political forces that is prone to violence. We cannot\, therefore\, overlook the role of religion in intensifying narrow loyalties\, entrenching divisions and providing a justification for violence. We cannot explain away the relationship between religion and violent conflict by the argument that\, in all instances\, religion is being used or misused for the achievement of power in its various forms. The responsibility of religion in situations of division and conflict must be critically acknowledged. In investigating religion and peace-making our analysis must be hopeful but not simplistic. We must be both self-critical and constructive to lift up the resources of religion for peace-making and the common good. We must make the effort to go deep in our analysis to understand the paradox of religion as both peace-maker and contributor to violence. \nAnantanand Rambachan is Professor Emeritus of Religion at Saint Olaf College\, Minnesota\, USA (1985-2021). He was also Forum Humanum Visiting Professor at the Academy for the Study of World Religions at the University of Hamburg in Germany (2013-2017). \nHis books include Accomplishing the Accomplished: The Vedas as a Source of Valid Knowledge in Ṡaṅkara; The Limits of Scripture: Vivekananda’s Reinterpretation of the Authority of the Vedas\, The Advaita Worldview: God\, World and Humanity\, A Hindu Theology of Liberation: Not-Two is Not-One; Essays in Hindu Theology and Pathways to Hindu-Christian Dialogue. In addition\, Professor Rambachan has authored numerous book-chapters and journal essays. The British Broadcasting Corporation transmitted a series of 25 lectures on Hinduism by Prof. Rambachan around the world. \nProf. Rambachan has been involved in interreligious relations and dialogue for over 40 years\, as a Hindu contributor and analyst. He is a Co-President of Religions for Peace\, the largest global interfaith network and serves as President of the Board\, Arigatou International NY\, a global organization advocating for the rights of children and mobilizing the resources of religions to overcome violence against children. He also Chairs the Board of Directors of the Minnesota Multifaith Network. He is active in the dialogue programs of the World Council of Churches and the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue at the Vatican\, and currently participates in the Ethics in Action dialogues at the Pontifical Academy of Sciences. In 2008\, at the invitation of the Archbishop of Canterbury\, Professor Rambachan delivered the distinguished Lambeth Interfaith Lecture at the Lambeth Palace in London. Professor Rambachan led the first two White House Celebrations of the Hindu Festival of Diwali in 2003 and 2004.
URL:https://mnindependentscholars.org/event/religion-as-a-resource-for-peace-and-a-justification-for-violence/
LOCATION:Shoreview Library\, 4560 Victoria St N\, Shoreview\, MN\, 55126
CATEGORIES:Monthly Forum
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://mnindependentscholars.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/mnMn.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20250514T190000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20250514T210000
DTSTAMP:20260417T061524
CREATED:20250415T011531Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250415T011754Z
UID:3318-1747249200-1747256400@mnindependentscholars.org
SUMMARY:Philosophy Study Group
DESCRIPTION:We will finish discussing Simone de Beauvoir’s attempt to build an ethical system for existentialist philosophy\, The Ethics of Ambiguity. Not a few people didn’t think it was possible. Did she succeed? This is for you to decide\, and we’re very interested in what you think. We’re even more interested in how this might fit into your own personal ethical system and how you justify that. If it’s just that you think you deserve more than everyone else\, we have some work to do.\nCurt
URL:https://mnindependentscholars.org/event/philosophy-study-group-81/
LOCATION:via Zoom
CATEGORIES:Philosophy
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mnindependentscholars.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/The-Ethics-of-Abiguity.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20250426T103000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20250426T120000
DTSTAMP:20260417T061524
CREATED:20250325T023102Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250426T213304Z
UID:3278-1745663400-1745668800@mnindependentscholars.org
SUMMARY:Poetry Day
DESCRIPTION:Poetry day will feature two outstanding local poets\, Connie Wanek and Joyce Sutphen.\nEach will read from a selection of her works with time for questions and an open mic for all interested thereafter.\n\n \nConnie Wanek was born in Wisconsin\, raised in New Mexico\, and lived for over a quarter century in\nDuluth\, MN. She is the author of seven books\, including Rival Gardens: New and Selected Poems from\nUniversity of Nebraska Press\, and an eight book is forthcoming in Spring\, 2025. A book of poems for\nyounger readers\, co-authored with Ted Kooser\, was published by Candlewick Books in 2022 and won\nthe prestigious CLiPPA award in the UK. Wanek’s poems have appeared in Poetry\, \nThe Atlantic Monthly\, The Virginia Quarterly Review\, and many other publications over the years. \nShe was named a Witter Bynner Fellow of the Library of Congress and received the\nGeorge Morrison Artist of the Year Award. In 2017 a wildflower trail in Duluth’s Hartley Nature Center was named in her honor.\n\n\n\nJoyce Sutphen grew up on a farm in Stearns County\, Minnesota. Her first book of poetry\, Straight Out of View\, won the Barnard New Women’s Poets Prize Press\,1995).  Her second book of poems\, Coming Back to the Body (Holy Cow! Press\, 2000)\, was a finalist for a Minnesota Book Award\, and her third book\, Naming the Stars (Holy Cow! Press\, 2004)\, won the Minnesota Book Award in Poetry.  Her recent books are Carrying Water to the Field: New and Selected Poems (University of Nebraska Press\, 2019)\, This Long Winter (Carnegie Mellon Press 2021)\, and That Other Life (Carnegie 2023)\, and Home Words (just published by Red Dragonfly Press).  She served as the Minnesota Poet Laureate from 2011 to 2021\, succeeding Robert Bly\, and she is professor emerita of literature and creative writing at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter\, Minnesota.\n\n 
URL:https://mnindependentscholars.org/event/poetry-day-3/
LOCATION:Shoreview Library\, 4560 Victoria St N\, Shoreview\, MN\, 55126
CATEGORIES:Monthly Forum
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mnindependentscholars.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Poetry-Day.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20250409T190000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20250409T210000
DTSTAMP:20260417T061524
CREATED:20250319T000903Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250411T160148Z
UID:3263-1744225200-1744232400@mnindependentscholars.org
SUMMARY:Philosophy Study Group
DESCRIPTION:We will begin reading Simone de Beauvoir’s attempt to provide an ethical foundation for existentialism\, The Ethics of Ambiguity. This book is available in paperback for about $15 and as an eBook for about $10. Used copies are also available. For the 9th we’ll read Parts I and II.\n\nJust so you know\, there’s nothing ambiguous about the MISF Philosophy Study Group\, though. Our thoughtful members come from a variety of philosophical positions\, although sometimes they can be dead wrong or even a little idiotic or uncertain of where they’re going. But they’re good people\, except when some of them talk out of turn or interrupt someone. Still\, we’re glad to have them\, except when we have to ask someone to leave. However\, you’re all unambiguously welcome to come on the 9th. Most of you\, anyway.\n\nCurt
URL:https://mnindependentscholars.org/event/philosophy-study-group-80/
LOCATION:via Zoom
CATEGORIES:Philosophy
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mnindependentscholars.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/The-Ethics-of-Abiguity.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20250322T103000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20250322T120000
DTSTAMP:20260417T061524
CREATED:20241118T232803Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250324T001030Z
UID:3097-1742639400-1742644800@mnindependentscholars.org
SUMMARY:A brief introduction to the history of artmaking in Minnesota
DESCRIPTION:From such historic luminaries as Seth Eastman and Alexis Fournier to contemporary artists Jim Denomie and Dan Bruggeman\, this lecture will review the nearly 200 year history of artmaking in Minnesota. Bring your questions. \nArt historian Brian Szott\, Curator of Art at the Minnesota Historical Society from 2001 to 2022\, organized numerous exhibitions including Seth Eastman: Artist on the Frontier\, Thank God and FDR\, and Art Speaks. Previously\, he was director of MCAD Gallery at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. Szott is a co-author of the 2015 Afton Press publication Minnesota Modern: Four Artists of the 20th Century.
URL:https://mnindependentscholars.org/event/a-brief-introduction-to-the-history-of-artmaking-in-minnesota/
LOCATION:Shoreview Library\, 4560 Victoria St N\, Shoreview\, MN\, 55126
CATEGORIES:Monthly Forum
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mnindependentscholars.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Minnesota-Modern.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20250312T190000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20250312T210000
DTSTAMP:20260417T061524
CREATED:20250223T202008Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250309T193351Z
UID:3243-1741806000-1741813200@mnindependentscholars.org
SUMMARY:Philosophy Study Group
DESCRIPTION:During this meeting we will finish our discussion of the book\, The Philosophy of Freedom\, by Rudolf Steiner by reading Parts II and III. In Part I Steiner laid out his concept of how the human mind is constructed and operates. In Part II he tells us all the wonderful things you can do with this mind\, with concluding remarks in Part III. We’d like to note that one of the wonderful things you can do with a human mind is to bring it to our meeting to discuss whether or not you can do the things the way that Steiner says you can. Surprisingly\, he never mentions this option.
URL:https://mnindependentscholars.org/event/philosophy-study-group-79/
LOCATION:via Zoom
CATEGORIES:Philosophy
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mnindependentscholars.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/The-Philosophy-of-Freedom-e1737750182183.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20250222T103000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20250222T120000
DTSTAMP:20260417T061524
CREATED:20241118T230428Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250223T221946Z
UID:3083-1740220200-1740225600@mnindependentscholars.org
SUMMARY:Uncommon Common Sense: Riding the Dragons of Complexity
DESCRIPTION:Complexity sciences\, and their applications to human systems\,  have been around since the early 1980s\, but the power in academe\, business\, industry\, and government still sit squarely in Newtonian worldviews. Why? What are the  challenges of thinking through the lens of complex adaptive systems? \n \nIn the history of science\, practice leads theory into a new paradigm. We see the influence of complexity all around us today\,  while the theory remains at the edges of disciplines like economics\, public health\, education\, public policy\, business\, philanthropy\, and politics.  Explore the underlying assumptions that inform future-oriented practice while they  challenge traditional theory. Eoyang calls these radical views of reality dragons. As in ancient maps\, the unknown beyond was filled with monsters and dragons. Today\, too\, “there be dragons” beyond the bounds of traditional knowledge.  You will explore six radical ideas that  will inform your personal understanding and action in a complex world. \nGlenda H. Eoyang\, PhD\nFounding Executive Director Human Systems Dynamics Institute geoyang@hsdinstitute.org\nwww.hsdinstitute.org \nGlenda Eoyang works with public and private organizations to help them thrive in the face of overwhelming complexity and uncertainty. She is a pioneer in the applications of complexity science to human systems\, and she founded the field of human systems dynamics (HSD) in 2001. She received her BA in physics and philosophy from St. John’s College in Santa Fe\, New Mexico and her doctorate in Human Systems dynamics from the Union Institute and University in Cincinnati\, OH. Through Human Systems Dynamics Institute\, she leads a global network of over one thousand scholar-practitioners. They apply HSD to wicked problems ranging from early childhood education to violent extremism\, public health\, and corporate futures and strategy. She has published across disciplines in both  academic and practitioner literature. Her book\, Adaptive Action: Leveraging Uncertainty in Your Organization (Stanford University Press\, 2013) outlines her wide-ranging theory and practice.  It is a roadmap for anyone who chooses to work at the intersection of order and chaos.
URL:https://mnindependentscholars.org/event/uncommon-common-sense-riding-the-dragons-of-complexity/
LOCATION:Shoreview Library\, 4560 Victoria St N\, Shoreview\, MN\, 55126
CATEGORIES:Monthly Forum
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mnindependentscholars.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Glenda-Eoyang.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20250212T070000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20250212T210000
DTSTAMP:20260417T061524
CREATED:20250124T202355Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250124T202752Z
UID:3170-1739343600-1739394000@mnindependentscholars.org
SUMMARY:Philosophy Study Group
DESCRIPTION:We will be beginning a new book\, The Philosophy of Freedom\, by Rudolf Steiner. Originally published in 1894\, this book has been translated many times and has been very influential in some quarters. A new paperback can cost from $7 to $22 and an ebook from $2 to $10\, depending on the translation. If you don’t want to spend any money\, it can also be found online for free: The Rudolf Steiner archive (https://rsarchive.org/Books/GA004/) has all his books and all English translations available\, and on https://philosophyoffreedom.com/page/download/ you can find the book in various formats. The book has also been published under the titles The Philosophy of Spiritual Activity and Intuitive Thinking as a Spiritual Path.\n \nThe only translation authorized by the Rudolf Steiner is the original one of 1916 by Prof. and Mrs. R.F. Alfred Hoernlé. While considered an accurate translation\, some people criticize it for following too closely to the original German\, thus making it rather stiff-sounding in English. Others think the 1964 translation by Michael Wilson is well-done since he understands Steiner’s thought and spirit and writes in a more natural English. There are other translations – including ones trying to tweak the Hoernlés’ – and you are\, of course\, free to choose whichever one you wish. For the 12th we’ll read the first part\, “Knowledge of Freedom.”\nFinally\, we should note that the book also has been published under several different subtitles\, as well\, but we are going to ignore those. We’ll just call it The Philosophy of Freedom. If you really want to get into something that makes a difficult matter more difficult\, maybe you can involve yourself with the Minnesota State House of Representatives.\nCurt
URL:https://mnindependentscholars.org/event/philosophy-study-group-78/
LOCATION:via Zoom
CATEGORIES:Philosophy
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mnindependentscholars.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/The-Philosophy-of-Freedom-e1737750182183.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20250125T103000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20250125T120000
DTSTAMP:20260417T061524
CREATED:20241008T025347Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250126T221759Z
UID:3013-1737801000-1737806400@mnindependentscholars.org
SUMMARY:The Accidental Hero: how a WWII Czech liberation story is a current event
DESCRIPTION:A string of jaw-dropping coincidences in the last week of WWII had Colonel Matt Konop liberating the same Czech villages his grandparents had left for Wisconsin in the 1860s. Konop’s first language was Czech\, and the townspeople paraded him around town on their shoulders\, declaring\, “one of our own has freed us!” However\, like many returning veterans\, Konop didn’t talk about his experience after the war. And when he died in 1983\, his family knew nothing of the story that changed his life. \nWhen the Czech Communist Party took power in a coup in 1948\, his story\, and America’s role in Czech liberation\, was whitewashed out of the official history. Twenty-three years after Konop’s death\, his grandson discovered his unpublished memoir and turned it into a one-man show called “The Accidental Hero” that he’s performed across America\, and annually in the Czech Republic. \n \nThe Czechs have posthumously made Konop an Honorary Citizen\, and have awarded the grandson\, Patrick Dewane\, a Medal of Honor for reviving their history. In this program\, Dewane will perform excerpts of his award-winning show\, and will read from his book about his grandfather. With tyranny on the rise worldwide\, democracy and freedom are now under threat more than at any time since the end of WWII. The Czechs had to shirk three oppressive empires in the 20th Century to secure a lasting freedom. Their perspective is timely\, particularly as the Americans who defeated Hitler exit the national stage. \nPatrick Dewane has performed his one-man show\, The Accidental Hero\, over 250 times across the United States\, including Ford’s Theatre in Washington DC\, the University of Florida\, the Marcus Center in Milwaukee\, and the University of Notre Dame. His annual tour of the show to the Czech Republic began in 2013 and has included the US Embassy in Prague\, Peklo Theater in Pilsen\, and Kino in Domažlice\, where he was awarded the city’s Medal of Honor. Dewane’s management career in the arts includes a stint on Broadway and senior-level positions with The Dance Theatre of Harlem\, the Luciano Pavarotti International Voice Competition\, the Philadelphia Orchestra\, and Minnesota Opera\, where his New Works Initiative program produced Kevin Puts’ Silent Night\, the winner of the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for music. He was nominated for an Emmy as Executive Producer of the PBS broadcast of Silent Night. He has an MFA from Brooklyn College and taught writing at the graduate school of St. Mary’s University of Minnesota. He and his wife live in Edina.
URL:https://mnindependentscholars.org/event/the-accidental-hero-how-a-wwii-czech-liberation-story-is-a-current-event/
LOCATION:Shoreview Library\, 4560 Victoria St N\, Shoreview\, MN\, 55126
CATEGORIES:Monthly Forum
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mnindependentscholars.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/The-accidental-hero-with-border.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20250106T190000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20250106T210000
DTSTAMP:20260417T061524
CREATED:20241226T042041Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241226T042041Z
UID:3126-1736190000-1736197200@mnindependentscholars.org
SUMMARY:Philosophy Study Group
DESCRIPTION:Note that this meeting is the first Monday of the month\, rather than our usual second Wednesday. We will finish our discussion of On the Genealogy of Morals by Friedrich Nietzsche by reading the third treatise\, “What do ascetic ideals mean?” \nIn this treatise Nietzsche wraps up his arguments with further critiques wherever he finds shortcomings and\, rather ambiguously some would say\, presents suggestions on the next steps to take in order to solve the problems he feels he’s identified. As usual\, our group will clear up all these ambiguities and make everything perfectly clear. \nCurt
URL:https://mnindependentscholars.org/event/philosophy-study-group-77/
LOCATION:via Zoom
CATEGORIES:Philosophy
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mnindependentscholars.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/The-genealogy-of-morals-e1729801125803.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20241211T190000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20241211T210000
DTSTAMP:20260417T061524
CREATED:20241128T005630Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241128T005835Z
UID:3105-1733943600-1733950800@mnindependentscholars.org
SUMMARY:Philosophy Study Group
DESCRIPTION:We will continue our reading of On the Genealogy of Morals by Friedrich Nietzsche by discussing his Second Treatise\, “’Guilt\,’ ‘Bad Conscious\,’ and Related Matters.”\nIf you wish to remain guilt-free with a clean conscious (assuming you have one now (ha\, ha))\, you should show up for this meeting. Watch out for those related matters\, though. \n  \n 
URL:https://mnindependentscholars.org/event/philosophy-study-group-76/
LOCATION:via Zoom
CATEGORIES:Philosophy
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mnindependentscholars.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/The-genealogy-of-morals-e1729801125803.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20241116T103000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20241116T120000
DTSTAMP:20260417T061524
CREATED:20240601T034257Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241118T223534Z
UID:2613-1731753000-1731758400@mnindependentscholars.org
SUMMARY:"Family Declassified": Uncovering My Grandfather's Journey from Spy to Children's Book Author
DESCRIPTION:Why do people keep deep secrets about their lives and ancestry?  In Family Declassified (Sunbury Press\, 2023) Katherine Fennelly applied her expertise as a social science researcher to answer this question regarding her grandfather\, a Jewish Hungarian immigrant who arrived in the US one hundred years ago and who became a high-ranking spy for the Allies in WWII. \nIt took several years of reviewing previously unexamined government records and conducting personal interviews and genealogical searches to piece together the life of a man who hid his Jewish identity\, the nature of his work as a spy\, and the murder of his sister and nephew by Hungarian Nazis. The result is a manuscript that examines the nature of family myths and presents the gripping story of a man whose life was shaped by some of the most extraordinary events of the 20th century.  Please go to KatherineFennelly.com for order information\, and to see the book group discussion questions. \n \nKatherine Fennelly is an emeritus professor of public policy at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs of the University of Minnesota with a Ph.D. from Columbia University\, where she was on the faculty in the School of Public Health early in her career.  She\nis an immigration policy expert whose work has taken her to many of the countries where her late grandfather lived out his adventures. She has studied and worked in Spain and Ecuador\, and done consulting work and academic residencies across Latin America and Europe. Katherine is a voracious reader and a life-long student of languages. She discovered her family’s Jewish roots as an adult\, something her Hungarian-American mother preferred not to discuss. When not tracking down classified documents and delving into family history\, she volunteers for refugee service organizations\, serves as a Spanish-English interpreter\, and enjoys biking in Prospect Park and spending time with her daughters and granddaughters who live nearby in Brooklyn.
URL:https://mnindependentscholars.org/event/family-declassified-uncovering-my-grandfathers-journey-from-spy-to-childrens-book-author/
LOCATION:via Zoom
CATEGORIES:Monthly Forum
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mnindependentscholars.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Family-Declassified.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20241113T190000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20241113T210000
DTSTAMP:20260417T061524
CREATED:20241024T201511Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241031T045115Z
UID:3031-1731524400-1731531600@mnindependentscholars.org
SUMMARY:Philosophy Study Group
DESCRIPTION:The MISF Philosophy Study Group meets next on Wednesday\, November 13\, at 7:00 pm via Zoom. For this meeting we will discuss Friedrich Nietzsche’s classic\, On the Genealogy of Morals\, first published in 1887. \nAs a classic\, this book is readily available in many different formats and translations. What has come to be considered the standard translation is that by Walter Kaufmann (called accurate with a faithful interpretation by a Nietzsche scholar)\, though others are also highly regarded\, such as those by Maudemarie Clark and Alan J. Swensen (detailed annotations and helpful commentary)\, Carol Diethe and Keith Ansell-Pearson (scholarly with a thorough analysis)\, and Douglas Smith (clear and accessible). \n \nThe book can be had new in paperback from $5 – $15 and as an ebook from $1 – $12. It is also available online for free at philosophy.ucsc.edu and Project Gutenberg as well as other locations. There are also numerous commentaries and study guides. (For the latter\, check sparknotes.com\, study.com\, and litcharts.com.) For the 13th we’ll read the preface and the first essay\, “’Good and Evil’\, ‘Good and Bad.’” \nThis book is not to be confused with the well-known cladistic analysis of some spore-producing fungi\, The Genealogy of Morels\, by Freddie Niche. \nCurt
URL:https://mnindependentscholars.org/event/philosophy-study-group-75/
LOCATION:via Zoom
CATEGORIES:Philosophy
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mnindependentscholars.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/The-genealogy-of-morals-e1729801125803.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20241026T103000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20241026T120000
DTSTAMP:20260417T061524
CREATED:20240812T192513Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241103T201625Z
UID:2909-1729938600-1729944000@mnindependentscholars.org
SUMMARY:Cohousing--Living in an Intentional Community
DESCRIPTION:Becca and Lynn will share with you a housing model unfamiliar in the USA\, Cohousing. \nIt is a type of intentional community that will reduce our carbon footprint\, reduce loneliness and get us a lot more fun in the process.\nThere are examples of about 180 cohousing communities across the US and we will share views of them. \nA key element is that the residents form a group intending to be good neighbors\, they participate in the planning\, and run the community after it is built.\nThe idea came from Denmark\, which always places in the top three happiest countries according to the Gallup   World Happiness Report. \n \nBecca Brackett  retired MD\, president of a local Cohousing project ” CedarCohousing LLC”. The Cedar Cohousing project wants to be for all generations\, and locate in an area urban enough for good transit and with amenities within walking distance. They hope to build an energy efficient building with about 30 households. \nLynn Engund currently serves as the treasurer of Twin Cities Cohousing Network. She has had a lifelong interest in the formation of intentional communities. She was a founder of Hearth Communities\, a group of families and single adults who\, despite not living together\, declared themselves to be an intentional community over 30 years ago. Lynn was also one of the instructors who taught “Philosophy Camp”\, a U of MN 3-week residential experiential philosophy course held near Windom MN during May term.
URL:https://mnindependentscholars.org/event/cohousing-living-in-an-intentional-community/
LOCATION:Maplewood Library\, 3025 Southlawn Dr\, Maplewood\, MN\, 55109
CATEGORIES:Monthly Forum
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mnindependentscholars.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/CoHousingNC-316-with-border.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20241021T190000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20241021T210000
DTSTAMP:20260417T061524
CREATED:20241016T174551Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241031T044820Z
UID:3028-1729537200-1729544400@mnindependentscholars.org
SUMMARY:Philosophy Study Group
DESCRIPTION:At our last meeting we discussed the book\, What Would Nietzsche Do?: Philosophical Solutions to Everyday Problems\, by Marcus Weeks. This book took various problems that people may encounter in everyday life and offered solutions to them that some well-known philosophers would have presumably given. Since that book covered just about every major aspect of philosophy\, we decided to zero in on one or two of the problems and examine them a bit closer. \n  \n \nThe one chosen is on page 51: “I’m nearly 50\, FFS! I’m fed up with being an accountant – should I follow my dream of being a rock star?” The philosophical problems the author says he’s covering are\, “How can we find meaning in our lives? Does what we do define who we are? How far are we in control of our own destiny?”You are expected to do some supplemental readings to prepare yourself for this meeting\, but you are free to decide what those readings are. Needless to say\, for this topic they’re legion. Our usual online sources of the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (SEP)\, the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy (IEP)\, and Wikipedia do not disappoint. Here’s a couple of recommendations. \nWikipedia has an article covering answers to the meaning of life from an exceptionally broad array of angles\, though it’s rather long.\nThe SEP has an intriguing-looking article on recent philosophical approaches to the meaning of life. \nIf we manage to finish off this topic\, we’ll go on to the problem on page 79: “Is it OK to believe in homeopathy?”\, which the author says addresses the philosophical questions of\, “Is belief less valid than scientific evidence? Is there a foolproof way of proving something is true? What is “scientific method\,” and can it be trusted?” \nAgain\, you are free to choose your own readings\, though you will find once more that they’re so numerous that you’ll need several lifetimes to finish reading them. Try this article on epistemology from the IEP. \nAnd if we should finish determining how everyone should live their life and what Truth is\, I think that will probably be good enough. \nI would also like to apologize for the lateness of this notice. My wife and I decided to defer our tax return to October 15 this year and\, as a result\, I have been spending many hours scrambling to finish this while ignoring just about everything else. I would not only prefer to be reading philosophy\, I would rather be chained to a wall and starved than have to track down 1099’s and understand arcane financial terms. Maybe we’ll just give away our assets – all $3.72. \nCurt
URL:https://mnindependentscholars.org/event/philosophy-study-group-74/
LOCATION:via Zoom
CATEGORIES:Philosophy
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://mnindependentscholars.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/What-Would-Nietzsche-Do.jpg
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR